hi again, this will be my last update from Mombasa.
I am now staying at the Voyager hotel, but the speed of the internet is no better here so photo uploads will have to wait until I get back to the uk at the weekend.
So a quick update as to what has happenned these last few days.
On friday I said an emotional farewell to the JOY World orphanage and school. My work is complete for now and I feel the need for a change of scenary.
I take a last walk around the place taking more photos and saying goodbye to the children, the younger ones I think do not understand why I was here and that I am going, so it is waves and smiles all round !!
There are some tears from Caroline who I think enjoyed having me around. She has been an excellent host and taken very good care of me. I promise to return sometime in the future and intend to help and support the work she is doing as much as I can when I get home.We have become good friends in the short time I have been at the orphanage.
I will talk more about the wonderful work Caroline is doing when I get home , and when I have a little more time to reflect on things. But the impact of my experiences over the last few days will stay with me for a very long time.
The pastor takes me to the hotel, which is nice but my first disappointment is no bath !!! It does have a powerful shower though with lots of hot water, and a big comfortable bed which is bliss !
I get up early for my safari which begins on saturday morning. I am taking a two night three day safari which will take in the Tsavo East and Tsavo West game reserves. Tsavo East is the biggest game reserve in Kenya.
My companions on the safari are two Irish brothers , Alan and Declan and two traineed nurses from New York , Quinn and Emily, so I am definitely the old git of the party. But they are all very nice people and we all get on very well. Our guide and driver for the trip is Joseph who turns out to be excellent.
All of my fellow travellers are volunteers over here working on various projects and for varying lengths of time.
There is not time to give justice to the safari except to stay it is something everyone should try to do sometime in their life. We stayed in two quite different lodges and saw lots of wildlife and breath taking scenary. Of the big five in Africa we saw elephant, lion , leopard and water buffalo but unfortunately not the rhino.
The highlight would have to be the elephant herd which visted the water hole no more than thirty yards from the second lodge we stayed at, and we were able to view these magnificent creatures for several hours from the viewing platfrom.
I am now back at the hotel for two more nights relaxation. If I am honest though I think one night would have been enough. The hotel is full of old age pensioners and honeymooners !!
Still at least tonight I can watch history in the making as Barak is inaugerated !
I will say goodbye from Mombasa now, and hope to see many of you who have been reading this blog soon.
I hope you have enjoyed it and it has entertained you a little.
When I get back to the UK ( and broadband speed !! ) I will post some pictures which will tell much more graphically the conditions at the orphange than my words. Please take a look when you get the time.
I will also inform a little more about the work Caroline is doing at Joy World and how I , and everyone, can help in the future.
Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read this, it has been fun to do .
Best wishes to all
John.
