WHAT A KAFFAFLE

The airplane trip here was looonnng. Eight hours of pure uncomfortableness, AND i was opposite the toilet. I dutifully wore my flight socks but they are so bloody tight im sure that ive givin myself compartment syndrome and nobody even fell ill so i couldnt respond to the famous 'is there a dr on board!' and you guys know I was primed for that shizzle. Despite this I did however tell the queen of all queens cabin guy that I was a student Dr and would be of service if need be to which he replied 'FABULOUS DARLING' -LOL. Plane food is alright, i managed to sit through alice in wonderland and drift in and out of sleep but above all i have decided that i need to earn some dollar and FLY UPPER CLASS BABY!!!



If i thought that salima and dionne ran on black peoples time, I was STUPID. BLACK PEOPLES TIME runs in epic proportions here in Kenya. Im still at the bloody airport despite getting here two hours ago, there was a mix up with my pick up times so they effectively, forgot i was coming today. After a frantic phone call to Erin (cheers love) and Kearea all has been sorted!!! so here I sit, in the most ramshakle of an internet cafe that i have ever seen. The moniter is a TV screen and the 'laptop' looks like a fisher price toy its that old...



I wrote the above whilst waiting for my 'driver'. Kenyan men are umm how do I put it, not use to strong minded women and i have found myself having to raise my voice command attention as it seems that women come second herr. Whilst in the airport frantically, trying to sort things out, i had every tom dick and harry, asking me if I wanted help with my bags, help with my visa, a taxi, a coffee, all very nice, you may say but as i soon realised nicities in Kenya, especially from strangers, comes with a sml monetry price tag. Anyways, my driver eventually came and wisked me off down town nairobi in a rover made circa 1965.


The image of Kenya portryed on the TV for once rings true in real life. The country is beautiful. I have been taken aback by how very simular the landscape is to the pictures i had in my mind. Vast areas of open savanna with acacia trees and palms! This was the landscape immediate outside the airport. Nairobi is BUSY!!!. people drive like nutters the speed limit seems to be what ever you decide it is and peadestrians must stay on the pavement at all times otherwise death will ensue!!

I am staying just for one night at the charity guest house here in Nairobi. It is nice and homely, see included pictures and exactely the back to basics living that i wanted!!!! im sharing my room with four girls and am sleeping on the bottom bunk WICKED. The bathroom is very back to basics, i have hot water but to be honest I would bloody annoyed if there was a power shower!

The house is run by two lovely girls, frieda and patricia. Both were rescued by the charity at the ages of 3 and 5. They were put through school and are now employed by the charity to run the house and look after the guest. These two girls are amazing, so friendly so happy, so grown up!! Actually as an aside something that I have noticed here, is that everyone has bloody GREAT TEETH! proper square, no gaps, white as paper against pink gums. This puts my yellow black gummed teeth to shame!

Anyway I got here at about midday and was soooo tired. Never experienced jet lagg before, and it aint nice. So I had a shower then was taken by the girls to the local supermarket, ITS BLOODY MASSSSSSIVE and quite disappointingly, has everything that we have in London, seriously! I had sugar cane for the first time! wassss goood, we bought bits and bobs then left.

I fit in quite well here. The women all kinda look like me but have amazing cheeck bones and really good skin! The difference between the poor and rich here is immense. There are also a lot of mentally unwell street people here, which is really quite sad. I guess some people are staring at me because im a new face but all in all people have been quite indifferent. Actually maybe a bit unfriendly, walking around the supermarket, I said hello to everyone, problem is that once you engage in conversation with people, they eventually try and co-erse you into buying their goods, but if you politely say no its fine. Everyone speaks english and swahili but i really ned to hold back on the colloqualisms -lol.

I am so happy to be here! I cannot believe that I am in Africa!!!. On arrival to Kenyetta airport I was so emotional, i think the personal achievments of the last year have finally hit me, not only am i going to be a dr, ive made it to Kenya, Africa. This experience is so overwhelming and exciting, it makes me a little sad that i cant physically share it with the people i love, but hey what are blogs for and besides i am so fiercly independant that this is perhaps something that i do need to do alone. I really hope that I my skills as a Dr are challanged and improved. I may come across confident but when it comes to practical medicine, I doubt myself alot. Emotionally and mentally I guess that we are all striving for inner peace, I dont expect to come home sane lol but I guess time away from London (despite missing my sisters) is something that I have needed for a while now and I can only hope to come back a happier person. I think the crying phase is over , im here and now for the adventure phase!!

Tomo i need to be up and out by 6am. I am being taken to Siaya western kenya and will start hospital duties on wed!! HEre in Nairobi its a bit cold (about 15 degrees) wet and cloudly, but i have been assured that the weather in Siaya is SUN SUN SUN.

I am really looking forward to meeting the children, as back in London i was becoming very very broody, 30 children wooooopie!

anyways below are some pictures from the day so far.

ah had slight issuies with uploading pictures, a) its taking an age and b) some big fat mossies are attacking the baldness. so ive opened a flicker account instead.

oh yeah, major fail, i brushed my teeth using tap water. yikes

Check my flicker -galsgonetoafrica.blogspot.com in like a few hours, i havnt uploaded pictures yet taking bloody ages and im tired and hungry, but will be done by end of the day. its 8.45 here! pm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52446785@N06/4831528305/