A bit more about our life here

11th March, 2008


We have been really welcomed by everyone here, especially J & J’s friends, and we have been included in all of their invitations. They seem to have a busy social life, which entails a fair bit of sport. They swim often at the school pool, which we go to too, and play squash, which Donald has decided to start playing again – after 30 or so years!! and Frisbee, which we go to watch.

Frisbee is a mad game, but an up and coming one apparently. They have a team of 7 per side (I think) and the rules are sort of similar to netball. Ie, once you catch the Frisbee you must not move/run with it. The way to score is to be over the end line when you catch it. There seems to be a group of the guys out here who meet up on a Saturday at 5 pm and who ever is there plays. Sometimes they have two teams and sometimes 3. Its crazy to watch as because it is a ad hoc arrangement there are no distinguishing team colours, so I don’t understand how they know who is on their own team and therefore who to throw it to – but it looks a fun game. It seems there are some national championships coming up, early May, and Jen and Joey are furious that they will miss it because it is when they are on their honeymoon.

Squash is played hard and furiously by all. (but not me!!) The court is still set in the 50’s and little repair work has been done to it since. It is in the Yacht Club grounds – sounds swish doesn’t it, well it probably was way back then. Again there is a group of people who play and Wednesday night is squash night. It all got too much to miss as far as Donald is concerned and he just had to have a game, then another etc etc so he is now playing again, and seems he hasn’t lost much of his skill (much to Joey’s annoyance!)

On Saturday morning, Jen and I had appointments to have our hair (and feet) done. Such a joy to be able to do this with my daughter!! Must tell you about the hair salon tho – it must be the most beautifully placed hairdressers in the world! The actual salon isn’t much, one sink and two chairs in front of a mirror, but the view from the two windows on the opposite wall of the mirror is just fabulous. It overlooks Lave Victoria and the slopes of Mwanza. The lake is surrounded by rocky Mwanza – and these rocky slopes are dotted with houses, shacks, tree’s etc and huge rocks. The birds too are wonderful to watch, black and white kingfishers hovering and diving for fish, black kites swooping low, herons, egrets, fish eagles. The egrets sit on clumps of anemone’s and just float along bobbing away. Anyway, we sat there and had our hair done, and then had an hour long pedicure each. What a joy, and so much cheaper than home, tho brilliantly done, and so we go every other week (Di, still going for the bright colours you will be pleased to know!!). And hair cut was very successful too, so I was very pleased about that, in preparation for the wedding especially.

Whilst we were pampered this week, Donald and Joey played squash! We then had a quick lunch at the hotel where the salon was, well I say quick lunch, not so, (ordering food here always takes time) but we were sitting overlooking the lake so who cares how long it took.

We then had to go to the market to get some food to take along to a BBQ we were going to that night. Unfortunately, I had my phone pinched whilst I was there, which was so annoying, but happens, and luckily it was just my phone!! Then the guys played Frisbee and I swam and read and Donald crashed out at Jen’s place. The BBQ was a real big party put on by a couple who live just around the corner from J & J. She works in the same building as Jen, and he (Mike) is an architect who is out here to be with his girlfriend for a while. He is a fanatical sports player, and good too. It wasn’t a totally musungu (white) attendance but almost.

On Sunday, we left J & J to have a well earned, and long waited for, day on their own, and we decided to walk to our local market to buy in some food for the day. Set off early, well before it got too hot, and walked the 15 minutes to the next area were the market is held every day. We did well, we got what we wanted/needed either from the duka’s (shops) on the way or in the market. The shops are tiny kiosk type rooms, and all sell exactly the same as each other – so if there is no milk in one, there will be no milk in any. Anyway, we did OK with the bread and stuff we needed. The market is similar in as much as every stall (which is a covered table made up of basic raw wood – pallet type). The stall holders either sit on them or stand behind them, and each sells whatever they have available from their crops. So most sell tomatoes, some sell banana’s, pineapples (which are just fabulous at the moment) etc etc. We got a good selection of veg and then looked at the chickens, we had thought we would buy one, but they were still alive! I know that this is how you buy them here from the market, but I just couldn’t bring myself to say “that one” and then either watch it be killed or worse still have to take it home alive and sort it out here – so – nearly went veggie, but then Donald dragged me into a ‘butchers’. Now I wasn’t too sure about this, but he was insistent and so in we went. Tiny room with a leg of a cow hanging down (sorry if I am upsetting any vegetarians amongst you but …). So Donald negotiates to purchase a lump of meat which we thought we would BBQ – tho there was the possibility that we may have to stew it depending on what cut of meat it was.

Donald set to and marinated the meat and later set up the BBQ (we have only two gas rings and no oven, so the BBQ is needed) and I have to say that the steak, probably rump, was really good. Tender and tasty – so we had a lovely lazy late lunch.

Prior to cooking lunch we had walked up to our local, with the box of scrabble, and we sat in their grounds with a drink and played there for an hour or so. Whilst we were there, people were decorating the area ready for a wedding, I think. It looked so lovely when it was finished – think this is what will be happening for J & J in Moshi for their wedding.
Evenings, when we are in, seem to be taken up with series 5 of 24. J&J have lots of box sets of DVD’s which we can watch on the laptop. Hired a DVD from the video shop last night, and it was obviously pirated and kept slipping into Russian and any writing which should have helped explain the plot, was also in Russian. Also, someone kept coughing on the sound track – it was funny, but think will try to ensure that we have an original copy next time!

So, that was our weekend – seem to be taking the Dala Dala into town to work these days – it’s not bad going into town on them, as it is less crowded at the start of the journey. Tho when we went in yesterday, the guy in the front seat shot out and went into the back to enable Donald and I to sit in the front (better seats as not so crowded but potentially more dangerous if in a crash or sudden stop!!) We again felt a bit awkward “whites in the front” sort of thing, but think they guy was just being courteous, so we said thank you.

OK – that’s it for now – love to all
Love J