Happy Christmas

Kenya is proving to be a bit difficult to communicate from as we are very busy, a good distance away from internet access, and the internet access is very unpredictable.

Anyhow Africa is great. We are having a good if rather exhausting time holidaying around Mombassa. The heat is fierce and driving a large non-air conditioned car packed with 7 people and all our luggage around is quite tough. We took two days to drive here over 500 miles from 'home' - we are taking three days to drive back, as Mark and I were really tired. The Kenyan roads are incredible - the main Nairobi to Mombassa road (the biggest and most important route in the country) has a few miles of lovely smooth road followed by miles and miles of pot holes and virtual farm track. Even the smooth road is one lane each way and is packed with huge, stinking lorries. Concentration is needed to negotiate the lorries, especially as they pull out to avoid huge potholes from time to time without warning. The Kenyan roads also have a lot of speed bumps (as well as the traffic-calming pot holes!), most of which aren't marked in any way, so it is really easy to miss them completely until you are flying over them - quite scary.

Having said all that, the Kenyan drivers are very well mannered and patient - last night I drove the wrong way down a one way street in Mombassa(there were no signs saying it was one way that we could see), it was very narrow and winding and no-one could get past me, I had to reverse (very slowly) about 300 metres back to the junction with about five cars patiently waiting for me to do it. No-one hooted, or looked annoyed and lots of people helpfully directed me. Also, on the 'big' roads, although some cars go very fast, you never get the 'hassled' feeling from them if they are behind you trying to overtake that you do at home, so you feel you can go at your own speed.

We are looking forward to getting home to 'cool' Vihiga and slightly looking forward to Christmas. It seems almost impossible that it is less than a week until Christmas, partly because there is little evidence of it here still (there is some but not a lot) but also because its baking hot and we have no presents, tree or anything like that.

However this may be my last opportunity to get to the internet before, so this is my Christmas message. Let me wish you all a great Christmas and New Year, especially those of you that will be celebrating it, have a toast to us.

Anyone that wants to ring us over the festive season can do so on my Kenyan mobile 00254 723 576 706. To make it cheaper use telediscount - dial 0911 219 32 32 before the phone number and that will make it 20p per minute (are we worth it?!).

Hope to hear from some of you over the festive season, and Mark hopes to get some photos up soon - but who knows - we probably can by the New Year at least. Lots and lots of love and best wishes- Heather