Emily in Africa

It’s great to be back! Even though I spent 5 hours in the air, it still took me over 24 hours to arrive in Mombasa – never dull travelling in Africa! But since I spent my first afternoon with Christina and the clan at a fancy resort swimming and napping under the palm trees, I’m pretty sure it was all worth it! I think that was my main problem in South Africa – have I mentioned there weren’t any palm trees there? And they call it a civilized country! The other thing that South Africa doesn't have is a tasty post-lunch snack called Labania, a sweet peanut and jaggery sugar snack that is my favourite thing around. Other than all the palm. And look, there's both in this picture! (Taken from Nicko's banda on the beach, the usual lunch spot)

So all is well and Kenya will be a great place to spend my last month in Africa. Jake has agreed to rent out his toy room to me for one last month as long as I help him pick out a car to take to school every morning. Fair trade if you ask me! This week is school holidays and one of Jake’s friends, Chazzer, has moved in which makes two 4-years olds running around – and helping me with my work in the mornings. It’s quite nice doing work early in the mornings and having the two of them crawl in and out of my lap. Until they start arguing and screaming anyways, but someone else usually takes care of that. It’s a sweet life.

But most days are spent either in the office doing loads of work or road-tripping up the coast visiting fisheries landing sites with Christina. Luckily the Likoni ferry has miraculously been fixed while I have been gone and it’s practically speedy getting around! But don’t worry, we still roll the windows down and plan our escape routes, just in case! We also saw a huge sting ray caught on the South coast the other day – my favourite part was watching the guy cut the head out and then put his hand through the hold and sling it over his shoulder to carry it up the beach. Never seen that before.

So life is good and I hope it’s treating you well too. If anyone just feels that need to get out in the next few weeks, there’s always space in my toy room.