Guest Blog #8 Phil (Pop)

In the middle of our 'chilling out' in this warm urban haven, we had an opportunity to join Daniel and Libby and family at a Missionary Conference at Brackenhurst near here. Gate crashers we are. (Yoda speak - verb at the end - sorry, we get a lot of Star Wars here). A lovely time with some lovely people, some having travelled for 2 days to get here.
It was actually cold at times (high) which seems an anomaly at the equator! But a lovely spot. You might recognise a few faces here.


We went on a walk through a tea plantation - lush, green.

Back at the MAF 'ranch' we chilled in the sun, visited the various magnificent shopping centres replete with goodies, coffee shops (with cake), and security guards using oversized dentists mirrors to check for bombs under the car. Did some sights, too many to mention here. Had a run in with a local bank whose cash machine gobbled up my purchased 20,000 kenyan shillings before I could get them in my bag. I am still short of the £160 and waiting for payback which they assured me on three visits will arrive! Local expatriates (Simkins ones) are very chilled out about it. They are confident it will come.



We did another gate-crash onto a MAF flight heading for Dadaab with some aid workers who seemed to be visiting to better engineer the latrines. The refugee camps look very tidy from the air, we were not able to get any closer. It felt a bit voyeuristic, but hopefully we will be able to subsidise a future flight.



Lots of wild life. No need to go to the safari parks for these:-












and..


Also managed an engineering project with Joshua - construction of this chopper:-


Which reminds me how I was green with envy at all the motor bike riders in this balmy weather (except for traffic).

Anyway, must sign off now as up early for onward trip to Ethiopia.