Billie No Mates...

Hi Everyone,
I just realised you will all have to invest in some paperback books when I finally get back to the UK, as what are you going to do to fill the time taken by my bulletins??!!***

I am glad to hear you are all well, I went to bed exhausted last night at 6pm and missed the last night drinks with the Irish Boys, they left today. My remaining room mate Kati woke at 5 this morning to go to Masai Mara..............................I am home alone ...............sob.

Back tracking a little, on Thursday, cant remember if I told you, I hijacked my tuk tuk man Sam for two hours, he picked me up from the DHL depot (it was way out nowhere), I then asked if I could have him for about 2 hours, he was thrilled (apparently it does his reputation good to be regularly seen carrying me!!) I then went shopping for items needed by the project, took some finding, metal lockup box (still looking), key fobs, (found but not what I wanted.... I had to do a bit of Susannah alterations to them) I also went to the Lake Nakuru National Park office (down a very very long road with lots of (sorry David Ainscough) sleeping policemen (not a good ride in a no suspension three wheeler vehicle!!) They gave me such a look when I arrived with tuk tuk Sam all the other vehicles at the gate were big safari ones. At least I am still able to make them laugh out here!! Not alot of luck with mywomanly cunning, they quoted shocking prices for the trip (well by Kenyan standards). I was then taken back to SCANN where Moses and I drafted a letter to the Assistant Director.

On Friday having got the Company Secretary to type the letter (she is in town and not at the project) it came back with her own interpretations.....ummmmmmm. Moses and I walked to Lake Nakuru Office and took the letter in, Moses thought that if he spoke instead of me it would be better........cheekie. Needless to say nothing was accomplished...... we have to wait for a reply from them. Tuk tuk Sam came to pick us up, we sat watching a whole family of monkeys playing. I then went to find some firewood for SCANN's kitchen. For some reason they have a quota for firewood, this quota has been used and they have no resources until the end of July, no one will tell Yasmin the Chairperson. No firewood means no food, the cook has been cutting down the wooden fence surrounding the project, this is how things are here TOTALLY MAD. Moses negotiated wood prices, none of them delivered and Sam would not have been happy messing up his vehicle, so we then went in search of a hand cart man.......... found one he was totally drunk and useless, but he kept saying he would be fine....... luckily someone walked past with a cart and we collared him. I went back to SCANN with tuk tuk and Moses walked back with the cartman. We now have a supply of wood, no one has asked where it came from.......ummmm.

After that escapade I went into town to collect the parcels that Nathalie and my nieces put together, what a mad Post Office system. They sent a card to say that items had arrived but put someone elses name on it, so the woman who owns the flat said it was not ours. On Thursday night the housekeeper dropped the a card on my bed with my name on it which said 2nd reminder......ummmmmm and bring money as there was a charge. When I eventually found the parcel collection area, down a back alley, through an old iron gate and through a door into the sorting office..... the q was enormous, when I was eventually seen the woman said......SO WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN. I replied that I had been no where and this was the first card I had received...... because I disputed the storage charges I had to see the boss man, she had no authority to waive charges. He already had a drunk waiting to speak to him...... I unfortunately got to sit beside him whilst he told me he hated the post office, its staff and sitting where he was waiting, this went on for a bit, and I had to hold my breath for a long time......... he had his turn and shouted alot. By the time I got in I was very tired, out of water and very hot......headache brewing. The guy listened to what I said and said he would go halves on the charge as there was no way the first card didn't have my name on it....ummmmmmmm. I agreed only so I could leave, so with shopping in hand and two boxes later I called......you guessed it tuk tuk Sam, he must have thought it was his lucky day........I got to the apartment and it was locked, I didn't have the energy to walk down the road to get the keys from the keyholder, so I sat, opened the parcels, read the letters, ate most of the sweets (that were for me!!) and waited for someone to appear......1.5 hours later, I had had a nap...............but needed painkillers for a splitting headache. I crashed.

Just realised how much I have written.....will continue today's fiasco tomorrow or Monday..... bet you cant wait.........

Bye for now,

Billie-no-mates
Susannah