Welcome to Kisumu

Well the good news is, the Kenyan Officials at the airport didn’t give a damn about my exit ticket and the fact that I lied about a flight home. Their loss they didn’t check it was true!!!

So I got a bus from Nairobi to Kisumu, which was just beautiful. I saw the Maassi Mara and Serengeti plans from the bus window and generally started to doubt the lonely planet’s description of really bad roads…. I doubted them too early. For about 2 hours the bus threw me around, I was sat at the back; I actually got thrown from my seat by the window into the aisle and have a pretty good bruise on my head where I was thrown into the ceiling. I had to hold my torso a lot as I felt like my heart was about to be ripped from its tubes, but that aside I made it to Kisumu in pretty good health, bar a few bruises and scratches.

So far I am loving Kisumu, everyone seems to be very friendly and not too annoying with unwanted stares and attention. After buying two pretty horrendous tops on the market I decided I should get my hair cut. Lets just say…. I should have done it myself! I now have rather a mixture of lengths in my hair and the hairdresser decided that I needed a hair conditioner rubbed into my scalp. The massage was good, but I have washed my hair 5 times now and still I have greasy locks! On the plus side this only cost me KSH200 which is about £1.50 plus a horrible clip thrown in that I will never use!

On my first night here I met an American man who did 14 days of emergency medical training and is now delivering babies in the local hospital. His stories were, well quite funny after 3 beers, but in hindsight pretty harrowing. If you’re squeamish don’t read this next part. He told me of very blunt needles for suturing, where the skin was stretching more than an inch before the needle would pass through. He also graphically described carrying out an episiotomy (cutting the vagina during childbirth) where his scissors were so blunt that he felt like he was hacking away using those child proof scissors! Then proceeded to tell me he could get me job at the hospital helping to deliver babies, I just had to say the word!

Today (8^th Oct) I have been cycling round Kisumu with a lovely man called Clifford. I have had to get used to a back cycling brake, it’s rather scary not having brakes my hands use, they trying to grab imaginary hand brakes! I nearly crashed into a tuk tuk after 1 minute on my bike… I got a rather sharp stare and a beep.

I have now seen the workshop, which is basic to say the least!! And obviously health and safety is not a priority!! So I am now officially meant to be doing a list of things the length of my arms!! I’ll see what I can actually do! I am going to be painting pictures for a café opening in conjunction with a bike tour I am organising round the lake and also making furniture for the seating area inside. I hope that at some point I can learn to weld, making tricycles and bikes with a front basket. Making 2 shelters, one permanent so welding that is done outside is not always in hot direct sun and one temporary that can be rented out. I also have to reorganise the workshop and have a daily maintenance checklist so items don’t go missing!

Today (12^th Oct) I am on my second day of antibiotics… obviously it was to be expected that at some point I was going to get a bug! So I have taken my day off today and feel pretty weak, but it is fine as I am working Saturdays so can take a midweek day to myself.

I have had three offers of dates and a marriage proposal already in a week. Neither of the men I am interested in! I haven’t really made any real friends yet, but I am sure it will happen. Hopefully soon I will have some photos of things that I have made! I guess watch this space!!!

Leaving the North of England... on Route to Africa

I have decided to write this blog, firstly to stop annoying all my friends and family with ridiculously long emails of my travelling adventures. Secondly as I wish to document all of the crazy, good and bad stories that happen on my year in Africa.

I have travelled the world a lot in 28 yrs and have decided that there is more than travel in foreign countries that I wish to experience. I am about to embark on (I hope) an adventure of a lifetime… and hopefully something that will help other people and give me a clue what to do in life. As of Monday 5^th of October 2011 I will be getting on 2 planes, destination… Kenya, Nairobi. From here I will be catching some sort of transport to the 3^rd largest city in Kenya… KISUMU, where I will be working for an organisation called Cycle out of Poverty for the next two months. The rest of the year??? Finding other organisations that can use my art and design skills…Where??? Somewhere in Africa.

Today I finally left Manchester, the place I have called home for the last 8years. I no longer have a house, my car is being sold and my best friends and family are going to be thousands of miles away from me. (well actually my brother lives in Oz so I will be a little closer to him!)

Slight issue number one…

Having only bought a one way ticket to Kenya I am a little apprehensive about trying to get a visa on arrival. I have been told by the Kenyan high commission in London that I need an exit journey out of Kenya within 3 months in order to gain a visa… I am not buying a plane ticket! I tried to explain, “what does a traveller who flies into Kenya, then travels by land and returns home from South Africa do?” The Lady on the phone did not like this answer and told me I would be sent straight back home…. So I decided to look at bus journeys out of Kenya. All of the bus/minibus companies I can find online will reserve me a place on a specific date, but won’t allow me to actually pay for a ticket. So from day one, I WILL be skating a little thin to get this adventure started.

Today (29^th Sept) the fear has kicked in… I have been trying to organise things for my backpack. I have decided against bringing my own needles…. As my dad rightly said the chances of them being on me are slim if I have an accident anyway.

My tasks at Cycle Out Of Poverty will be incredibly varied, so hopefully I can at least achieved some of them! I never lied about any skills I had when I contacted this organisation, HOWEVER, my nerves are getting the better of me and I am starting to think SHIT! I mean really I have a very basic knowledge of a bike, as quite a few people have asked me….. and realistically I am much more skilled in the area of abstract wooden sculpture and painting. But don’t people always say that you should do something that scares you?

Today (30^th Sept) I am hysterically giddy. The more people tell me “you’re so brave” or “a year is a long time and Africa is a dangerous place” I just want to be there already. I guess some would call me a pleasure seeker, a thrill seeker or as my Chorlton girls would say…. “A girl who has no shame!”

And the shameful thing is that I relish on the last comment the most, I mean really you live and die alone, so who cares if someone judges you. At least I am trying to make the most of every opportunity that comes along.

So I have not posted this blog yet…. After the last comment I made I am wondering why???!!!!

Alright so I am finding the balls to post my first blog….. hopefully the next one will have immense stories of luck, blagging and hospitality!!