Kariandusi

Right, well. I just got back from Adams Arcade, where I bought Gilmore Girls season 1 and a couple of cheap strappy tops, all after I got stung by a bee, or something. I didn't see what it was, I just went to brush something off my neck, felt much pain, and then the next thing I brushed away felt like a stinger. I ouch. Actually it's made me feel quite funny, but I've managed to get home ok so I guess I'm not allergic. *whimpers* So to take my mind off it, and before I head out to Habesha's to meet Sarah for dinner, I shall update as promised. Maybe with tea...

Mmm, tea and avocado. deelish.

So, on Wednesday I went to Nakuru, visiting Kariandusi on the way. Getting the right matatu was easy enough, and I managed to get them to drop me off in the right place. There's a big sign saying Kariandusi Archaeological site so it's hard to miss. The curator there was a guy called Robinson. He'd only been there for a month, and found it necessary to give me his life story. Anyway, he had a guide take me around the site. It was quite interesting. Kariandusi is an Acheulian site, which basically means there's a lot of handaxes.

This is an obsidian handaxe. As if you couldn't read for yourself. They have a lot of them. They also have a lot of handaxes made out of trachyte.

This is the Upper Site. It's basically a lot of handaxes and choppers scattered on the area where they were dug up. Apparently in situ, although I doubt it.

This is some stratigraphy. It shows how the area has been covered in lake and erupted on and so forth.

This is a test pit, dug by John Gowlett, who is also the director of Kilombe where I'm digging briefly at the end of the month.

And thiiis iiis, the Lower Site. Much the same as the Upper site, but a bit lower down. It tells you all about it in the sign.

Enough pictures for now. It's a pain in the arse getting them positioned right and I'm leaving in 20 minutes. The area the site was in was also very pretty. Good for picnicking apparently. And there's a bit where you can see the stone tools still in section along the path.

There's also a diatomite mine in the area. You can see it from the Lower site, but for the photos you'll have to check out Jalbum when I put them up. You can see diatomite in the stratigraphy photo. It's the white stuff. Deposited by diatoms that lived when the lake was covering the site. Well, technically it is the diatoms that were in the lake. When they died they left this powdery, chalky residue which is now mined, for, umm, stuff. filtration is all I remember from the visit, but here Wikipedia helps me out: "Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. It is used as a filtration aid, as a mild abrasive, as a mechanical insecticide, as an absorbentfor liquids, as cat litter, as an activator in blood clotting studies, and as a component of dynamite. As it is also heat-resistant, it can be used as a thermal insulator."

Lovely.

You can also see the old quarry where they used to mine the stuff. I have pictures of it, and of the tunnels they used. They look pretty cool.

Then I had a look around the old 'museum' which is just an explanation of what the rift valley is, how the area was formed, as well as some casts of early humans and descriptions of the tools and who used them and stuff like that. Brief but informative. They are currently in the process of making a new 'museum' which is more modern and will give more information as well as being more interactive. But I say "currently" and "in the process". This new museum started to be built and made about 2 years ago. Now the few displays and stands they had put there are looking tatty and tired already. But I think with a new curator in place it might start to get moving again. They all seem hopeful there anyway, and the director (of National Museums Kenya) visited a week before to see the site and what was going on with the new space. It's a nice area and has loads of potential, if they can just do something with it!

They also have a tool making area, which apparently Mwangi is in charge of (he's the guy from the archaeology dept in the museum who tried to explain to me and the Ugandan ladies how the accession system works in the stores, seemingly without really knowing what he was doing himself). It seems he's very big on the getting people to the archaeology side of things, and I think he'd be far more suited in a role where he gets to take people to sites and market them. Which he seems to do anyway. So he takes school groups to this site where they can look at all the stone tools, learn how to make them with obsidian from the neighbouring mountains (presumably where it would have come from in acheulean times) and then butcher a goat with them. I believe they also cook and eat it. Sounds like fun. Sounds like primtech!

So after having a good look around I went to have a chat with Robinson, which is probably to uninteresting to write here! :) There were a group of Canadian Archaeologists there when I arrived though (well according to Robinson they were Canadian Archaeologists) who it seems are touring Kenya in a big safari bus. Looks like fun.

Right, I'm heading off out to dinner, and I'll hopefully write the rest up later. Ciao!

More monkeys, breakfast, and 'please stop singing!'

Ah, the monkeys are here again. I wondered what the horrible rotten food smell was (the bin out the back door that they've tipped over to get at our food remains, they do love our avocado remains).They're so unafraid. And there are more babies. I got really close to one of them clinging half-heartedly to it's mum (or possibly just carer) and it looked so new! I had to walk the long way around to go and peg out my washing as I didn't feel like walking down the steps with the bushes either side where they were all hanging out. Also there was a small one who I think was either playing with me or playing at defending, he was very cute, but I didn't really want to get any scratches so I went the other way. The really have no fear. I was coming back up and as I walked along the side of the office one of them (I think a male, although I wasn't looking that closely - and they're not the ones with the blue balls which I saw the other day, so it didn't stand out quite so much) came walking up towards me. I thought it might run away, especially when I banged on the empty washing basket in my hand, but instead it just walked past looking at me as though I were a bit crazy. Ah well. Monkey madness.

This morning I am doing all my washing, and some of Emma's, and I might try and wash my blankets. Because the other night I saw a flea, and there are definite flea bites on my arm. Tut. Not sure if it were here before or if I might have brought it with me from the last place I stayed in Naivasha. Either way, I need to find ways of getting rid of fleas without flea spray. *sigh*

So as I put my first load of washing on I made coffee and contemplated breakfast. 'Hmm, now I could have some yummy muesli with some tasty natural yoghurt, but oh look. I have bacon that could do with eating, and half a tin of baked beans, and I bought eggs yesterday, oh and look I still have tomatoes, and someone has bread that I could steal a couple of slices of, oh oh ooooh'.

So I had the breakfast of kings and it was good. And then I went back into the kitchen where John had put in the oven a big chunk of meat. And boy is it smelly. I know I just had a cooked breakfast but ugh, no, too early! And I can't even leave the door open while I'm not down there because the monkeys will come in. *sigh*

Speaking of John (Tanzanian attachee), he was singing this morning. Loudly. I could here him from downstairs whilst he was upstairs in his room. Singing. Badly. He was singing Madonna - The Power of Goodbye. I don't know this because I could tell from his singing, but because I asked him while he was singing it in the kitchen. Way to make a bad song worse. Is it possible to politely tell someone they can't sing and to please shut up because it's a Sunday morning and it's just not right? No? I didn't think so.

It's crazy the stuff they like here. I've got quite into the stuff they play in the matatus. Well ok, the hip hop / r&b stuff (if thats what it's called, you know I'm rubbish at music genres), not the celine dion - power ballad stuff that they also seem to love in this part of the world. Lovin it. (again, NOT the power ballad crap, although sometimes it can be kinda fun) I'm going to have to try and find somewhere to buy some local music from, because I really like it, although it seems to always be interspersed with this one J-Lo song featuring 'Fat Joe' (hehe) called Hold Me Down, which I've grown quite fond of. ANYWAY, I think I'll try and buy some local stuff before I leave for Tanzania, because I probably won't have time for much once I get back. Oooh, I so can't wait to get home! 6.20am on 11th August! Woop! And I'll be heading straight for a caramel coffee frappuccino with whipped cream from Starbucks, and maybe a big mac. I have no idea why but I'm really craving that crappy burgery goodness.

Right, I'm going to post this, shower, buy more washing powder so I can finish my washing, and then update about my few days away, which were very cool and I thought of so many things I wanted to share while I was doing it, but now it's all fading a bit. :(

sad stories, plans and kangas

ooh, what a lack of being busy week. Well I suppose I was busy really. Just not with terribly exciting things. I spent my days poring over newspapers from during the pre and post-election violence, and my evenings either writing my research proposal, huffing because someone said something that offended me, and writing my budget and itinerary for these next couple of weeks.

There were a few things that I am sure I was going to post on here that I found in the papers, but I don't remember them now. One thing I saw that I was very sad about was a follow up kind of story about a disabled lady who I had read about from an issue in November or October or something. She had no use of her legs, but had rigged up all this stuff in her fields so she could still till her crops and stuff, and it was a really heart-warming story about how she wowed all the neighbours with how she could still manage on her own despite being in a wheelchair. So lovely. And then in one of the January issues of the paper they reported that they had discovered that this lady had been in what was possibly the most devastating act of post-election violence. A church in Kiambaa in Eldoret was torched while it was full of people. (Daily Nation article on the burning) Many people died inside, one of which was Wambui, the disabled lady the Nation had reported on months before. I think that story made me more sad than a lot of the others, although I read a lot from January 2008 which made tears come to my eyes.

Onto more cheery subjects. Having done the research proposal I now have to do the research, which is the plan for this week and next, although apart from getting a couple of contacts that I needed today I haven't done anything towards it as I have been busy finishing up my notes for Sarah. That and getting excited about funding. So tomorrow I have to call a couple of people and put together some questions to ask the curators at the sites I am visiting. Then on Wednesday I am travelling up to Nakuru on a matatu (I hate travelling intercity on matatus) stopping just before to visit Kariandusi on the way. Then I'm staying in a dorm (ooh, first dorm experience) at this Nakuru backpackers place who say they will pick me up free of charge from town, and apparently the hostel has magnificent views over the National Park. Then the next day I'm being picked up in Nakuru to be taken to Hyrax Hill by the curator. Sarah also arrives in Nakuru on Thursday, so hopefully I'll be able to meet up with her for dinner. Then I might stay Friday night as well, depends if I still have anything to do there on the Friday. Then I'm going to head down to Naivasha to do a little tourism stuff there before heading back to Nairobi on Sunday. Or possibly Monday, see how I feel. Then depending on when I get back I will head out the next day to Olorgasailie for a night and then travel back the next day. Apparently it's very beautiful there, as well as being full of uninteresting rock stuff (according to James) so hopefully it should be nice to stay there for a little while. I shall take a book with me for these travels. Although annoyingly the one book I really wanted to read seems to have gone missing. I'm really annoyed. I have been offering my books to people to read, but I don't know who could have it! :(

So ya, then I should have at least a day to write up before Phil gets here!!! Woo, then we're flying to Lamu on the Saturday for our coastal adventures. Exciting.

Apart from planning that I haven't done much this last week. Saturday night I went to a Kanga/Kikoi party with Sarah, Hannah, James, Reynolds and his flatmate Carol. It was really good fun, although little did I know my hormones were kicking in and I shouldn't have been drinking (cos if I do it makes me sick) and I was on the rum, and then there were the jelly shots which may have been the beginning of the downwards spiral, as then when someone encouraged my to down a large shot of tequila I was more than willing. And the rest is history, or rather, I don't remember much of it (which is unusual for me in itself). So yesterday was spent in bed either sleeping or watching Joanna Lumley's the Nile which was very good. She even went to Juba in Southern Sudan, and I'm not entirely sure, but the place where they were showing the beauty contestants may have been the place we stayed while we were there. Very interesting program, and only slightly insulting in places.

But that is pretty much the only thing of interest which has happened to me in this last week. The party was great though, I was having a really good time until the hormones/drink ruined it all. I may give up on alcohol entirely seeing as I can't predict when it's going to turn on me.

Oh, of course. And I had an email from Bristol this morning telling me that they are giving me AHRC funding. Which is awesome although even though ahrc pays the fees, it only pays a certain amount, which is only a third of the actual fees I have to pay, so I still have to find £6000. Still, that's a hell of a lot better than having to find all the fees and living expenses. So yay! I'm going to Bristol this October!! Quite looking forward to it.

Right, bed time now I think. Although having spent the whole day feeling utterly exhausted still, now I feel quite awake! Grr. Must get some decent sleep so I can focus tomorrow though. Night folks!

picture!

A car that was being 'towed' down Arboretum drive.

It has no tyres so was being slowly scraped down the road!

Sarah, Reynolds, Amber, Neil and Emma when we

were out for dinner for Sarah's Birthday at the

Osteria del Chianti

Sarah & I striking a pose, well, I'm more concentrating

on taking the photo actually

Something I saw on my way up to Kitale,

a matatu having to gingerly make it's way down a

muddy slope after trying to avoid the traffic on the

road diversion.

Rain, rain, and foody things

Hmm, Friday seems to be update day when I've not been doing much exciting stuff. So, we've been in the guest house since Saturday morning. So Saturday Emma and I spent the morning making it homely. Or colonising it as Dave Anderson put it. I also went into the Sarit centre. I can't remember why. Oh yeah, to buy tahini so I could make houmous. And then this afternoon I found they have started selling it at the Kasuku centre down the road. It's 305ksh though, so it should work out better to make my own. If I can be bothered to do it again. The blender is a pain and doesn't blend properly. I wish I had brought my hand blender. It would be soooo useful.

Anyway, Sunday... I think I generally did nothing and pottered around the house. Otherwise all week I have been at the library. Monday Hannah arrived. Woop! It's really nice to have her around again. And then James came back last night.
Apart from generally having a pretty chilled out week going to and from the library I have got drenched at least twice walking home. It's a 50 min walk, and the time I leave the library it would probably take longer to catch matatus AND I would still have to walk 10-15 minutes to get to the road that the first one goes along. So I opt to walk. The first time I got soaked this week I didn't have my umbrella with me. But luckily the rain was being nice to me, and although it did rain the whole way back it was quite a light rain really. Yesterday I had my umbrella. And it absolutely hammered it down. For about 2 hours. So there wasn't even any point in waiting til it stopped, I would have just been stranded in the dark. By the time I got home just my head, neck, and bits of my upper body were only mildly damp (the misty rain got everywhere) thanks to my umbrella shielding me. Mostly. It did leak a bit. My greatest fear was that my camera would get wet. Next week I think I'm going to wrap it in several plastic bags. Anyway, luckily Hannah & Emma were in, and Han was downstairs so I called out as I got to the front door and she went and got my kanga and flip-flops so I could get out of my soaked jeans and trainers before crossing the threshold. I had to wade through the rivers rushing (and I do mean rushing, like in torrents, if I were a small child I would have got washed away, animals stood no chance) down the roads almost up to my knees in some places. Great fun. I had a nice hot shower when I got back and all was good in the world. :) I actually felt pretty good from the walk, although I have a sore throat today so I should make sure I keep cosied up for a while.

It's raining again now, quite hard. Hannah and James went to the shops after the office shut at 4.30. :-/

So today I stayed put in the office writing up notes. Mainly because all my trousers are dirty from the mud, and all my trainers are wet from the rain. Awesome. But it was a good thing I did. While here I did some emailing about the Bristol masters. I had an email telling me I was being offered a place when I got back yesterday. So today I emailed to ask a couple of things, and the admissions lady sent me the offer letter as a pdf so I could sign it and send it back straight away for the funding. Deadline of which was today. And I'll find out by the 24th. Fingers crossed everyone please!

So i've been sat here thinking about food, Kenyan food in particular. The traditional food that one would usually eat is meat stew, ugali and sukuma wiki. Sadly I don't think I can make any of it when I get back to the UK as Sukuma is, well, supposedly a kale, but it's not like kale at all, it's like a cross between that and spinach. And it's pretty good when it's cooked well. Even better is sudja (sp) which is similar again, but I think it's like a wild leafy green which I'm not sure you get down in this part of the country, which they seem to cook in milk and it is TAST-EY. Noms. Sukuma wiki is made by frying the sukuma with stuff like tomato and onion and seasoned. It usually comes in a 'soup' so I think they might add some water to it as well. Either that or they just cook it in the soup from the meat stew, which is usually quite tasty in itself. Beef I think is the norm. And you get funny looks if you leave the gristle and fatty bits. Ugali, as I'm sure I've already mentioned, is made with cornmeal I believe. I think they kinda mix it in with water and it suddenly becomes this thick block of white stuff - Ugali. It's usually in such a stodgey block that you cut a large chunk off to put on your plate. Then you use your fingers to mush it into a spoon (some people say that you're just supposed to grab a bit, put your thumb in it to make a scoop, and scoop up the stew or whatever, but it seems to make it taste better if you mush it about a bit, and have a little pile of salt to dip it into) which you then use to scoop up the food or pick it up using the ugali as a kind of pincer. Anyway, I don't usually like ugali but I'm craving it a bit lately. I might have to go to the museum where their cafe does cheap local food and it's quite tasty.

Anyway, enough of the food talk, I'm getting hungry. Tonight we're making a big communal meal. Pasta I think, but I'm trying not to eat wheat so I bought a potato so if I feel like being good I can just have the veg with a jacket potato. ooh, or maybe mash. mmmmmm. Mashed potato. ooh, now there's a good idea.

So, love to all. Hope everyone is keeping well. xxx

boredom reigns

Wow, it’s all go here at the BIEA. I feel like I’ve been missing out on all the action these last couple of days by being at the library all the time. So this morning I got up early to watch the election results come in. One of the plus sides of being hours ahead means that I don’t have to stay up all night, but can just get up early and not have missed much. It was most interesting, and I ended up deciding to write up my notes with the TV on instead of going into the library. Partly, also, because I didn’t get much sleep last night. I keep waking up in the night with stomach ache, and last night I had also been having rat dreams so I couldn’t get back to sleep for ages. I don’t know why the thought of rats keeps me awake at night. I’m really not that bothered about them, as long as I have something on my feet, and they don’t make loads of noise to wake me up at night. But maybe my sub-conscious is a bit more scared of them.
Anyway, so I worked at the flat until lunchtime and then decided to go into the guest house to find out what was happening about moving. Turns out we can’t move back in until tomorrow. But they have new beds for us. Which actually is a bad thing for me as I was sleeping in a nice double bed, which has now been moved into room 4.  So I have to put up with a small single now, and Godfrey wanted to give me the new mattress, which was sweet, but it’s a foam one so I insisted on getting the sprung one instead. I think it must be the one from Room 4, and I don’t remember having problems so it should be ok. If I have to sleep in a tent for a month in July I’m damned well going to get every bit of luxury I can while I’m here. He also asked if I preferred blanket or duvet. I think you can guess my response. So now we will have 3 beds in each of rooms 1 and 2. One of which is for the boys, and one for the girls (attachees mostly, but I think guests can stay there if there are no rooms free).
I have enjoyed staying at Matt & Laura’s. Not least for having a nicer kitchen to cook in, and someone to cook for this week. It has also been very nice having my own room, even if it is a little lacking in furniture. It’s just good to have your own space. And despite that have gotten used to sharing with people, it has been so nice to not have to see people if I don’t want to. That’s my extreme hermit side coming out, but seriously, I forgot how much I love having my own place, which has been what it’s felt like this week as Laura seems to only be around for a couple of hours in the evening. Which is making it even more difficult to be out here when I can’t wait to get back. But still, loads of things going on in the next couple of months and it’s flying by so fast. I just can’t wait for the rainy season to be over!

I just looked outside, and it’s night-time. At 4pm. It really is so dark outside it feels like it’s nearly 7pm rather than just past 4. Oh, which reminds me, I’m so going to miss long evenings this summer. It is a bit tiring when every day is the same. The only excitement is if it’s raining or not, and more often it is raining at the moment. Jacob said to me that is why it is so dark, because the rain is waiting to come.

So yes, I came to the offices, and had all of about 2 minutes of internet before it went away. And it’s been away all afternoon. Very frustrating. I was hoping to follow the rest of the election on the internet. As it is, I got all my notes done before 4, even with lots of standing and walking around as these desks aren’t really comfortable. Quite relieved that is done, it was seeming like I had pages and pages and it was going to take me forever to catch up.

So, I didn’t really have anything of interest to write, I was just trying to keep myself busy and not dying to watch True Blood. I’ve been listening to a lot of Jace Everett, and his album is just so amazing. It’s a good thing that there is no one else in the computer room as I’ve been seat dancing all afternoon. Right, I suppose I had better get going. I might as well go back to the flat and sit there to do my research. Then I can buy potatoes and internet credit on the way.
Potatoes, btw, because after my sandwich today I had a terrible achey tummy, so I’m going to try not eating wheat. I think it’s probably only Kenyan wheat, at least I hope so, but I’m going to give it a week and see if it makes me feel any better. And for some reason at the moment I can’t bear the thought of rice. I don’t know why. Maybe I should give it another go this evening. I need to have something with my avocado and I don’t think potatoes will really go. Hmm. Right, dinner plan made. Gosh, how have I managed to write so much about nothing. I really should try to curb this habit, you must be very bored! 
xxx

more food, stuff I found interesting, and rats

Good evening.
Tonight I made a culinary masterpiece. Stuffed courgettes with avocado salad and cous cous. Deeelicious. Laura was quite impressed. I was pretty impressed myself actually. It was a recipe I saw in the Standard today (from April 2008) which I adapted quite dramatically to fit what we had in the fridge. Laura says I don’t have to move back to the guest house. Hehe. But hopefully we should all be moving back tomorrow. Can’t wait. Although I am going to insist on the kitchen being scrubbed from top to bottom as soon as possible.
I am now watching the BBC Knowledge program, The Incredible Human Journey. I don’t have the internet at the moment though, so I don’t know when it was made. But they’ve missed out vital Spanish sites in the out of Africa debate. Anyway. Lets not dwell. The woman presenting it is so very posh sometimes, it’s almost annoying. However, she’s now talking to a Palaeolithic archaeologist from America which makes me very glad that’s the field I like the best. More sexy archaeologists like that in England please!

These last couple of days I’ve been spending lots more time paging through newspapers from the beginning of 2008. I’ve found some interesting articles, some on witchcraft in relation to looting; people stole loads of stuff, particularly on the coast, and after a few shop owners put up signs warning of a curse befalling those who kept the stolen goods, they were returned! Brilliant. I think this then led to lots of shops putting up ‘return our stuff or else’ signs, fodder for amusing articles for many days.
Also found was an article in the Property Watch section entitled “In the event of a fire” about how to pick up the pieces when your home is burnt to the ground. It seems that would have been quite a likely situation at the time it was published, which was about the middle of the violence.
One of the things that makes me chuckle/silently scream with despair is the use and abuse of the English language. It’s humourous at times, like when someone has obviously heard a word used, but not pronounced properly, so it’s spelled like it would be said in an African accent, often with hilarious consequences. Or, for example: “Natural calamities such as draughts, they say, have also subdued any violent emotions.” Hehehehehe.
One quote that made me chuckle was from an article entitled ’15 dead, homes set on fire as violence escalates’. “’I lost all my valuables and household goods and I do not know where my wife and two children have fled to’ said Nairangu. And Mr Andrew Kibet said he had lost six cows and two goats.” End of story. I love that it doesn’t end with the tragedy of a man losing his family, oh no, the six cows and two goats finish as the most shocking aspect of the story.
Ah, and my fave quote so far this week is actually one from Woody Allen (but seen in the paper) “Sex without love is an empty experience, but as empty experiences go, it’s one of the best.”

I’ve been distracted all day. A lot of what I read mentions elections, although not as much as in earlier months, and whenever it does it reminds me that the elections are on in the UK at the moment. Ooooh. Excitement. I think I’m going to get up early tomorrow morning to see how it’s going, seeing as I am still staying here. And Laura is going to be away tomorrow evening, so I could stay here watching election results after work as well to see how it all fares out as some of them aren’t expected back until 5pm UK time. But I don’t know when Matt is expected back so I don’t know how happy he’d be if I were here lounging about on his sofa watching his tv when he arrived home exhausted from a long flight! Laura said it’s fine for me to stay a bit longer if I want to though. So yeah, if I was distracted today I am likely to be very distracted tomorrow. I was thinking of staying at the BIEA to just write up notes, but there are too many people and distractions around, so I might just wait til it’s closed and then drop the majority of my stuff back there. I’m gonna have a busy weekend, what with all the planning I have to do for Phil’s visit, for costing how much I need to save for Olduvai, and writing myself a research proposal and budget. Hmm, I’ll probably enjoy doing it when I actually get round to it anyway. I’m on a True Blood detox at the moment before I start on the 2nd series. I was letting it overtake my life slightly. I’ve had a lot more cooking time since. And last night I introduced Laura to fantasy films with a nice easy one. We watched The Princess Bride. I might build her up to classics such as Labyrinth and Willow but she hadn’t even heard of the Neverending Story so I don’t hold out much hope. I don’t think she’ll ever come around to sci-fi. In fact, Matt did tell me he hasn’t seen Iron Man because he can’t watch sci-fi with Laura. Sad times.

Ooh, one more thing before I head off to curl up in bed with Sam and Dean (that’s an episode of Supernatural, not two handsome real life young men, sadly). I noticed a really bad smell in the kitchen when I came home today, and I mentioned this to Laura when she got back. So she decided it was coming from the cupboard that everything had to be moved out of last week because of evidence of rats. And opened said cupboard. I was standing over the other side of the room at the time, so could see into the bottom under the shelf, and saw something dark move rather quickly over to the other side, just before Laura started having heard the noise of it scurrying away. Smelly rat alert! We’re not sure why it smells so bad though. Do rat droppings smell? Or do they make nests that are smelly? I’m really not a rat expert. It was amusing, she was banging around as though to try and make it come out, until I asked her what we would do if it came running out of the cupboard. She wasn’t really sure about that one so we just shut the cupboard tightly and left it.

Anyway, although it is still early, I think I’ll go and curl up in bed so I can get up early and it not kill me tomorrow. Night folks!

a week of food

oooh, look, it's a whole week since my last post. Shows how little of interest I've been doing! Last week I spent alternately looking through newspapers in the National Library, feeling a bit rough, and applying to do a course at Bristol Uni. I am still undecided about the Bristol course. I need to spend some more time thinking about it properly. I had a chat to Matt about it (after a few glasses of wine) and he made me think about it a little more critically. To be honest, if they could be arsed to reply to my emails I would be more encouraged to go there, but if the admissions department can't even send me any kind of confirmation then it does put me off a little.

So, last week Leila was here for a few days before going back home. Quite jealous. We had a nice meal out at Habesha's on Thursday. Loving the Ethiopian food, and I've still never been seated at a different table. Friday night we had drinks after work before Leila's flight, which was nice. Saturday I spent a lot of the day at Java in the Sarit centre using the internet, then once back at Matt & Laura's I decided to start watching something different, and became completely addicted to True Blood. Awesome series. Saturday night we had a nice night out for Sarah's Birthday (which was actually on Monday). We went to this place called the Osteria del Chianti, which despite shocking us with the bill at the end (we hadn't noticed the 'prices exclude tax' on the menu) was a really nice place. We had a delicious meal, followed by cappuccinos, and stayed there chatting for hours. I don't think we left until about 11.30, and we'd arrived at 7pm! Good night.
Sunday I had a proper chilled out day. Woke up late, went to the guest house, did my washing, had a looong luxurious bath, and generally made myself feel good. Then back to Matt & Laura's before it got dark. Matt left for England on Sunday evening, he's only there for a week for meetings and stuff I think.
Yesterday I was back in the National Library, and I got quite a lot done actually. I've found the trick is to take my iPod with me. Actually helps me concentrate a bit better. Anyway, then I met with Sarah at 4 to go and see Date Night at Nakumatt Junction cinema. Mzuri Monday Madness = mmmm. Date Night was hilarious. I had no idea what it was going to be like, and it was so funny. I laughed out loud so many times, which I haven't done at a film for what seems like too long (unless you count clash of the titans but I don't think that was supposed to be funny). It was brilliant. Definitely one I would recommend. Go see it, all of you.

Today I decided to stay at the office and type up my notes. Mainly because it was raining this morning and I didn't fancy the 45min walk to the Library, and because I had no money and needed to pick up my allowance. I didn't realise I had so much to write up actually, so it's definitely a good idea.
My excitement of the day was buying bread. She handed it over to me and it was still hot. Not warm, but hot. Literally just baked. I practically ran home to lather it with butter (or pretend Kenyan marg, whatever) and devour it. I had to restrain myself from eating more than just the ends. Oooh, so good. I also bought Dorset cereal, which is amazing. Kelloggs is about, ooh, 500- 700 ksh for a box, depending on what you want, and not the big ones either (about £5), yet the Dorset cereals, which in the UK are about £3, are about £3 here too! Amazing! So I bought some. And some Ryvitas, even though I won't be able to eat them until I am back at the guest house, just in case they sell them all before I'm ready! You have to snatch these things up when they come in y'see. Ooh, food excitement. I want some houmous now.

Also, because of watching True Blood, I have discovered Jace Everett. It's country music (apparently), but damn it's good. He's recently released a new album and it's really good. I even went so far as to purchase it on iTunes. Oh yes, first time I've bought music for possibly years. Brilliant.

Enough of that, it's food time. Hello tasty bread, mmmmm.