New Year to the Hoff....

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So we’re in Tanzania‼! And we are official volunteers now – work permits, t shirt tans, and blisters included. It’s lovely here, but mainly because of the ever present and spectacular sight that is Mount Kilimanjaro. She is huge‼ and very dramatic, being that she is mysteriously shrouded in cloud for a large portion of the day but bursts through in the mornings and evenings to reflect the sun off her scorching temperature defying snow-capped summit. I kind of wish we were climbing her, but then also I have met so many people, fit as fiddles, who have admitted how bloody hard it was, so maybe I’m just better off admiring her from terra firma‼! I have a suspicion that my weaky constitution and my lack of endurance may have prevented me from summiting anyway so at least now I save some face‼‼

Anyway, we transited through Kenya to get here and after much deliberation decided not to stay in Nairobiovernight. It did seem like a waste of a visa, but it just worked out too much of a hassle and too expensive to do it just for the sake of it – plus, in true kimmy style I was really ill throughout the journey so its best that we just drove straight through. With a raging temperature and nasty delirium I swear that I had caught malaria‼! Maff was unconvinced though and made me calm down – but I still almost passed out at an inopportune moment whilst they were trying to seize me up at the border crossing‼‼ the police man told me that I looked like I had something to hide‼‼ whoops! Who knew that clammy skin, unfocussed eyes and a sagging posture cried ‘criminal’‼

New year was pleasant in Arusha, just the two of us going out for a meal. But one pretty scary thing happened – as we were trying to leave for the restaurant the guards on the door of the campsite started to protest really strongly… they really did not want us to go. The restaurant was little over 200 metres away, we could practically see it from the gates, but apparently the guards said that it was a really bad hot spot for poachers and armed robbery‼! We had no idea and were very unprepared‼ One of the guards ended up escorting us there with a bloody great stick as protection‼‼! To be honest, there did seem to be lots of men lurking around whilst we were walking – I got quite scared! And just to check up on the theory, when we finished our meal and had to ask the bar to phone the campsite to get the guard to come take us back again I checked the story out with the bar lady and she looked appalled that I was considering walking‼! She just repeated over and over “no, mazungo, no no”‼‼ needless to say we waited for our guard and practically ran home…. With all our belongings stuffed into my bra and my handbag wedged up my dress in my knickers‼‼ happy new year 😊

Moshi, where we are now, is so much friendlier. We were here for a couple of days in another hostel to orientate ourselves and then last weekend we moved into Hostel Hoff – the volunteer hostel. It is so much more than we were expecting – everyone is so nice and the atmosphere is great. There are 23 people so far, aussies, Canadians,brits, dutch, anirish, a sweede and two bloody somersetians‼! Come all the way round the world to get here and there are two guys from Taunton here‼‼ they are very nice tho and are missing cider just as much as we are – plus they eagerly talk cricket with Maff so its all HakunaMatata. We are in a safari tent at the moment, but might move to the double room next week. Apparently we are the only couple, so even though we paid for dorm rooms, they need our bed space for other people – shabba! There are two guard dogs, peanut and butter, who are soft as, well, butter, unless you are African… sadly they are trained to shout their heads off if a black person enters the gates, which is so weird as the rest of Africa seems to enjoy singling out whites‼

We arrived at the end of the short rains so unfortunately now, it is only getting hotter. I have never experienced heat like this before, and it is almost immediate, from sun up to sun down, its relentless. For the first time in my life I am actively seeking shade and cursing the sun‼‼ but my tan is getting pretty dark now so at least that’s something!! and to top it off, Maff and I have chosen a placement rife with manual labour‼! So good in this heat – I think my sweat glands are on overdrive. We are at an Orphanage called Kili Kids. The kids are so great, I love them already, but they have no grasp on sharing or playing gently. We are pretty much massive white climbing frames to them, they all shout “teacher teacher…” and then just pile on‼! But their massive smiles endear them from any naughty behaviour… well except Fatuella… one boy who actually keeps trying to pick pocket us – little shit‼‼ I want to adopt two of them already – little Estha and little Benno. Photos soon‼! But the best thing about the project is that is an ecofriendly project, desperate to become sustainable. It is one of a kind in the area and they whole site it set up to recycle everything (even pooh‼) and they have extensive veggie plots, chickens, fish ponds, pigs, cows, goats, compost systems, water systems and even a soon to have methane oven‼! So we help them build and farm and grow things and then play with the kids after school. It’s awesome‼! And all the time in the shadow of the mountain. Its too unreal to see it in the blistering heat – I just can’t describe it…

Hmmm ok, longest blog yet, sorry‼‼‼! Next time I won’t leave it so long… love you all and miss you lots xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ps, maff says Mambo 😊 😊 xxx

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Comments

[Jemma]

If you adopt one of the beans it could be a friend for Tabby! ;-) xx